Bottle cleaning apparatus



Dec. 12. 1933. J. R. GRUETTER BOTTLE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21, 1929 SSheets-Sheet 1 1933. .1. R. GRUETTER BOTTLE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. R. GRUE4TTER ,048.

BOTTLE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 1933. J. R. GRUETTER 1,939,048

BOTTLE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21, 1929 6' Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 12, 1933.

J. R. GRUETTER 1,939,048

BOTTLE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 12, 1933. J. R. GRUETTER BOTTLE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Dec. 12, 1933 BOTTLE (anisznrnaro; APPARATUS John'R. GruettenOlevcland, Ohio, assignor m The Liquid Carbonic Corporation, Chicago, Ill.,

a corporation of Delaware Application October 21, 1929. Serial No. 401,101

8 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning bottles, and more particularly to the mechanism for shifting the bottles'from a position on an intermittently moving conveyor to another position where certain cleaning devices may cooperate therewith. V I

The invention as shown herein is particularly applicableto a bottle cleaning apparatus wherein the bottles are mounted in transverse series of bottle supports, which supports may be arranged to move with an endless conveyor, by which the bottles and their supports are advanced intermittently to position the bottles with. respect to'various cleansing operations and mechanisms. g V

The positioning devices which form the basis of thisapplication are intended more particularly for use 'in that class of' machines wherein the bottles pass through the machine in an inverted 2o position, and in which lifting devices are inserted in the necks of the bottles to raise them from their supports and into position to be scoured or scrubbed by brushing devices. The brushing devices are not'themselves "claimed in this application; these form'the basis for a companion application SerialNo. 392,662, filed September 14, 1929'a1though of course this invention is not conflned in its use to brushing devices of that particular type.

The general purpose and object of the invention is to provide simple andeifective means for definitely and accurately positioning the" bottles, so that the lifting devices which cooperate therewith may enter the. necks thereof with precision and certainty.

Other and more limited objects of the invention are to improve the construction'and mode of operation of such positioning means.

In the drawings forming a part of this application, Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view through a part of the bottle-cleaning machine to which my invention is applied, the bottle supporting mechanism and certain of the other parts of the machine being shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bottle positioning devices and the parts which cooperate therewith; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a part of the bottle-cleaning machineshowing the clamping devices, the lifting devices and the cleaning devices in cooperative relation; Fig. 4 is a sectional view'taken across the machine as, for instance, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the clamping devices in their open position; Fig. 5 is a viewidentical with Fig.

5 4, except that it shows the clamping devices in closed or operating position; Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the mechanism showing more particularly the means by which the clamping devices are operated.

As stated above, the clampingand positioning devices of this application are intended to coioperatc more particularly with that form of brushing or cleaning mechanism which forms the basis of an application for patent hereinbefore referred to; but it has a more general application, and isin no sense limited to that particular form of machine. 1

Referring to the drawings, and more'particularlyto Fig. 1 thereof, the reference character'l denotes a'pair of angular tracks on which the transverse bottle supportingframes 2 are mounted by means .of rollers 3. In a type of cleaning machine now in extensive use, the frames 2 are either flexibly connectedto form a continuous conveyor, or are mountedon and carried by the links 2 of such conveyor, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5.' I

Each bottle supporting frame 2 contains a transverse series of bottle holders or supports 4, each support being an open top receptacle having a substantially frusto-conical bottom 4*? for sup porting a bottle 5 by engagement with the $110111", der thereof. Several bottles are shown mounted in their carriers in Figs. 4 and 5, and the necks 5 thereof are illustrated as projecting through the lower portions 4 of the holders 4.

Mounted in fixed position and in any suitable manner above the rails '1 is the brushing or. cleaningmechanism. This may be of any type, but as here shown, comprises suitable scrubbing and brushing devices, the particular devices here disclosed being those described and claimed in the companion application above referred to.

Suitably supported in the frame of the machine is an angle bar 6, which runs across the machine, as more particularly shown in Fig. 1, where the side flange of the bar is broken away so asto more clearly disclose the positioning devices and their cooperating parts. 'Mounted on this angle bar 6 are brackets 8 secured thereto by bolts S (Fig. 1), each having a prolonged rearward extension 9 (see Figs. 3 and 6). Each of these brackets carries a guide plate 10 and has a pointed end 11 and a widened depressed portion 12. The spaces between the plates 10 serve to position the bottles more or less closely in a plane in the path of movement thereof, the tapered ends "of the brackets 8 serving to straighten up and move into vertical position any bottles'which may be displac d from the normal, and the-lower portions 12 serving to bring the bottles in reasonably correct position as they move along through the as there are bottle holders in the respective frames. In the machine herein illustrated, these frames carry four bottle-holders, andtherefore there are four pairs of these positioning devices.

These devices are shown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5; in Fig. 4 they are illustrated as in:

their inoperative positions, while in Fig. 5 they are shown in the positions they assume when they are holding the bottles in readiness for lifting.

It will be noticed'that,'until operated, these positioning devices or clamps occupy a position which .is below the. tops 5 of the bottles as they passalong through the. machine. In order that they may effectively perform their function, it

necessary thatthey be lifted and brought into cooperative relation with the bottles, as shown in.Fig. 5. The meansfor operating these devices 30 will now be described;

Below and to the left (Figs. .4 and 5) of the angle. bar 6, there is asimilar anglebar 7 suitably mounted in theframework of the machine. At

I each side of the machine, and secured to the angle bars 6.and.'.7, is a bracket 17, so shaped'as to be. supported by and securedto both of the angle bars 6 and 7 as by. bolts 17. These brackets '17, serve primarily to rotatably' support the shafts l8 and j 19, which.'support.the clamp operating devices. These devices are in the form of levers 20 and 21 (Figs. 2, 4 and'5) and are fastened to the shafts 18 and 19 by keys or other suitable means. There areftwo levers 20, one at each side ofthe machine, fastened to the shaft 18, and two other levers 21 similarly secured to the shaft 19. Thetops of the levers 20 are bent to the left and'the .tops of the levers 21 to the right (Figs.

An angle bar 22 is secured by bolts 7 23 or otherwise tothebent ends of the levers 20, .and-a similar bar. 25. is secured by bolts 23 to the levers21..

The'positioningdevices or clamps are securediby. bolts 15?, or. by other'suitablemeans, to theangle bar '22; .and the positioning devices or.-c1amps 16 are secured by similar fastening devices16 to the angle bar 24 (Fig. 2).

The lower. ends of. thelevers and 21 are connectedbysprings 26, one at eachsicle of the machine; the parts being .so constructed and the springs .26. so arranged. that they tend to contract and causethe parts toassume the positions shown in.:Fig..5, thereby holding theclamps 1,5, and 16 inengagement with the bottles with a yielding pressure. They are 'separated and lowered by the mechanismshown in Fig. 3., and while so separated. are held in the position shown in Fig- 2. shows the clampslfi and 16 in plan view, and inthe position which they assume when in cooperation with the necks ofthe bottles, as illustrated in Fig;v 5, although the bottles are not themselves shown in this figure.

Rigidly secured to the shaft 19. is anarm 2'7 (Fig.6) havin pivotally, mounted thereon at 28 a guide 29 through which passes an operating rod 30. This rod passes loosely through the guide 29 and carries on its outer end a nut 31 constituting a stop. Down the shaft is fixed another stop 32, and between this latter stop and the guide 29 is a'coiled spring 33. This rod is operated by a bell crank lever 34 (Figs. 3 and 6) which is mounted for oscillation about a pivot 35; One of the arms 36 of this lever is pivotallyattached at 37 to the operating rod 30. The bell crank lever 34 is caused to move in proper unison with other parts of the machine by means of a rod 38 which 'passes-through'a guide 39 pivoted at 40 to the lever 34 (Fig. 3). V

1 The shafts l8 and l9'are connected by gear segrhents 41 and 42, theformer being rigidly secured to the" shaft 19, while the latter is adjustably secured'to. the'shaft 18. The adjustment is a common form ;the segment is loosely mounted on the shaft 18, but lies adjacent an arm 43 (Fig. 2) rigidly secured to the shaft. .The arm carries a lug 44, which projects through a larger opening 45in the segment 42' and, is adjustably held in position .by set screws 46 and 46 arranged, one in. the. upper part ofthe segment and the other in the lower part thereof. By varying the positionsof these screws the position of the segment 42 withrespect to its shaft 18-ma'y be varied.

As stated before, the brushing mechanlsm disclosed herein is the'same as that described and claimed in my companionapplication above referred to. The means forlifting the bottles out of theholders into position to be acted on by the brushing mechanism is also the same as that disclosed'in my other application. These parts of thefmachine will nottherefore'be described. in detail herein, but. will be explained. only so far as is necessary to makeclear the cooperation of'the clamping devices therewith. 7

Brush frames 47 carrying brushesof a common type, are adapted to be moved laterally by suitable mechanism. Pivotally attachedthercto, as by arms 48, are supplemental brushes (not shown herein) which are caused to'move toward and from the bottlesbyv means of gear segments 49 carrying frames 50 upon which" are mounted rollers 5lfor engaging pins 52onrth'e supple mental brushes. These'segments are' rocked by means of an arm 53, rod 54, link'55 andl'ever'56, as shown in Fig. 3, and described at length'in my companion application abovej referred .to.

The'lever 56, used to operate'the supplemental brushes,is used also to operatetheib'ottle lifting devices. These also are identical with the lifting devices of my companion application; and there fore will not'be described in detail herein. It is sufficient here to say that the lever 56 is rocked by a shaft 58 suitably mounted and iscOnnected by a link 59 to a cross head 60. upon'which the lifting rods 61 are mounted. Each rod has on its top a bottleengaging spindle 61*, having a mouth-engaging portion 61, the spindle being the bell crank lever 34, and this latter draws' rod30 to the right (Fig. 6) thereby rocking the shafts" 18 and 19, through the segments 42 and 41, and lowering the clamps l5 and '16 to the position shown in Fig. 4, and at the same time extending the springs 26. The :clamps are here shown open and depressed, and out of the path of the bottles as they move to position.- After the machine shall have positioned the bottle frame, the operating devices will be reversed, rod 38 will be depressed, rod '30 will move to theleft (Fig. 3), andthe springs 26, which are now un-' der tension, will cause the arms 20 and 21 to lift the clamps 15 and 16, and move them into engagement with the depending necks of the bottles, thus bringing the bottles into exact position for the rods 61 to enter. After the bottles have been lifted and brushed and returned to their seats, the parts will again return to the positions shown in Fig. 4, ready for the next operation.

By this arrangement, it will be seen that the positioning devices or clamps 15 and 16 always engage the necks of the bottles under the yieldable tension of the springs 26, instead of by positively, operating elements, thereby minimizing the danger of breakage, while these devices are drawn down and opened by positively actuating mechanism.

The spring 33 on the rod 30 is used simply to provide an elastic cushioning means between the operating elements and the clamping devices, so that any excess movement of the rod 30 will be absorbed by this spring, as the rod passes freely through the guide 29, thus avoiding any undue pressure upon the bottles.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a bottle cleaning machine, the combination of a series of bottle supports, cleaning mechanism above said supports, lifting devices for raising the bottles from their supports to the cleaning mechanism, means for moving the bottle supports, means for aligning the bottles in the direction of their movement, yieldable clamping devices adapted to engage the necks of the bottles one on each side thereof and which are normally out of the path of movement of the bottles, and means for raising the clamping devices so that they engage opposite sides of each bottle, means for rendering the raising means operative and means for subsequently operating the lifting devices.

2. In a bottle cleaning machine, the combination of a series of bottle supports, means for moving said supports through said machine, cleaning mechanism adjacent to and above said supports, lifting means for raising the bottles to the cleaning mechanism, guides cooperating with the bottles as they are moved through the machine to position the same in the direction of their paths of movement through the machine, positioning devices arranged below the bottles for positioning the same in a plane at right angles to such paths of movement, and means for lifting and operating the positioning devices, said positioning means including pivotally mounted clamping members adapted to engage opposite sides of the bottles.

vices into bottle-engaging position, and means for raising the'lifting devices. I .4. In a bottle cleaning machine, the combination of a series of bottle supports, cleaning mechanism adjacent thereto. and thereabove, lifting devices adapted to enter the mouths of the bottles and to engage the necks thereof; for raising the bottles from their supportsto the cleaning mechanism, a pair of pivoted frames, a set of clamps carried by each frame for engaging the necks of thebottles on said series of bottle supports and thereby positioning the bottles thereon relative to said lifting devices, means for operating the frames to bring the clamps into engagement with the bottle necks, means for operating the lifting devices to enter the mouths of the bottlesand raise the bottles after they have been positioned by said clamps, and means for operating theframes to lower the clamps out of the path of the movement of the bottles.

5. In a bottle cleaning machine, the combination of bottle supports for holding bottles inverted, opposed sets of positioning devices for engaging the bottles one on each side thereof so as to bring the bottles to predetermined positions on their supports, a frame for each set of positioning devices, springs for operating the frames so as to engage the positioning devices with the bottles under spring pressure, and means for returning the frames and the positioning devices to their former positions and simultaneously putting the springs under tension.

6. In a bottle cleaningmachine'the combination of a series of bottle supports adapted for movement intermittently longitudinally of said machine, cleaning mechanism located above the said bottle supports, lifting devices adapted to enter the mouths of the bottles thereby to raise the bottles from their supports and lift them into operative relation to the cleaning mechanism, positioning mechanism for the bottles on such supports, the said mechanism having slots 1 extending longitudinally of the said machine and adapted to receive the necks of the bottles, yieldable positioning devices adapted to engage op-' posite sides of the necks of said bottles thereby to adjust the positions of the said necks at substantially right angles to the adjustment imparted theretoby the said slots, means for operating the lifting devices thereby to lift the'bottl'es thus adjusted from their supports and to bring them into operative relation to the cleaning mechanism and thereafter to return them to their supports,'and means for operating the said yieldable positioning devices. 7 l

7. In a bottle cleaning machine, the combination of a series of bottle supports adapted to hold bottles inverted with their necks projecting there-, below and adapted for movement intermittently longitudinally of said machine, cleaning mechanism located above the said bottle supports, lifting devices adapted to enter the mouths of the bottles thereby to raise the bottles from their supports and lift them into operative relation to the cleaning mechanism, positioning mechanism for the bottles on such support, the said mechanism comprising spaced plates providing therebetween narrow slots extending longitudinally of the said machine and adapted to receive the necks of the bottles, yieldable positioning devices adapted to engage opposite sides of the necks of said bottles thereby to adjust the positions of the said necks at substantially right angles to the adjustment imparted thereto by the said slots, means for operating the lifting tion-of bottle cleaning means; means'fo'r inter? mittently rn'oving the bottles I through-the apparatus, centering means for centering the bottles with respect to the cleaning rn'eans said-centeringf.:means includinga'pairof' clamps each of which: is provided Withja concave surface, said concave surfaces. being in opposing relation to each other whereby to engage opposite sides of .a bottle neck, each of said clamps being mounted for pivotal movement. about an axis substantially perpendicular to theaxis of a bottle neck engaged between said concave surfaces, and means for actuating said clamps to engage said bottle necks with a yielding pressure.

7 JOHN R.- GRUETTER, 

